Portland GOP picks Pontius to run in Senate District 27

PORTLAND — City Republicans have found a new candidate in state Senate District 27.

Adam Pontius, 79 Bramhall St., was chosen at a July 14 caucus of the Republican City Committee, chairman Peter Doyle said Monday.

Pontius replaces Mark Lockman, who withdrew July 6 from the race after he was unopposed in the June 14 primary.

State law allows primary winners to withdraw from the general election ballot by the second Monday in July and for political parties to replace them by the fourth Monday in July.

Pontius will face state Rep. Ben Chipman, the Democratic nominee, and Seth Baker of the Green Independent Party in the Nov. 8 general election.

Sen. Justin Alfond, D-Portland, cannot seek a fifth consecutive term because of state term limits.

Chipman is concluding his third term in state House District 40.

Lockman, who ran unsuccessfully against Chipman in 2014, is the only legislative candidate in the city to withdraw from the general election ballot. Republican Dwight Glidden withdrew from the state House District 36 primary race in April and was not replaced.

Rep. Denise Harlow, D-Portland, will be unopposed in District 36, where the Green Independent Party did not field a candidate.